Midnight deadline for drivers as new mobile cameras swing into action in speeding blitz

Michael Lavery

A NEW network of privatised mobile speed cameras launches at midnight tonight.

The new cameras, in clearly marked vans, will periodically monitor some 600 areas, more than 60 of them in Dublin, which have been identified as accident blackspots.

A five-year €65m contract with the private GoSafe consortium to provide the speed camera service will see the safety cameras go live at midnight tonight.

A limited number of the cameras will be used in the coming two months, but they are all expected to be operating by February. Motorists caught speeding by the cameras will be liable to incur penalty points and fines administered by gardai.

Speeding enforcement currently carried out by gardai will continue as normal.

Garda traffic units currently use eight mobile cameras, 400 hand held speeding devices and more than 100 automatic number plate recognition cameras installed in garda cars.

The privatised system comes a decade after the Government committed itself to bringing in such a network.

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Under the deal, 45 mobile cameras will provide more than 6,000 hours of speed checks each month across the State.

A map of the locations where the safety cameras will operate is available on the garda website at www.garda.ie

Garda Asst Commissioner for Traffic, John Twomey, said: "An Garda Siochana appeals to all road users, in particular motorists, to familiarise themselves with these sections of the road network."

The project aims to change driver behaviour and to reduce the number of speed related collisions "by increasing compliance with speed limits across the entire road network, reducing the speed of vehicles at locations that have a speed related collision history and acting as a deterrent to driving at excessive speeds," gardai said.

It is estimated that 11 million cars will be monitored by the new GoSafe cameras each year. The consortium is being paid a flat fee for the service and there is no question of bonuses or commissions related to the number of motorists caught speeding.

Gardai say the new cameras will save lives through a reduction in speed related collisions.

"Our analysis is ongoing and these locations may change over time," a garda spokesman said.

mlavery@herald.ie

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